Godolphin's champion grand in defeat

The Godolphin camp's first attempt at the Cox Plate ended in defeat but they were far from disappointed with the effort of Grandera in finishing third.

"The track beat him," was the simple explanation from jockey Frankie Dettori. "He changed stride at least three times in the straight and lost his momentum."

Since Grandera's arrival in Melbourne, much has been made of his erratic behaviour on and off the track but after lashing out a couple of times in the mounting yard, the handsome chestnut stallion did little wrong.

Then again, the five-year-old hardly got the chance to play up with his Pakistani handler Malak not leaving his side from his arrival at the course until he went on to the track.

As Godolphin's Alan Byrne explained: "He's not the sort of horse you can tie up in his stall, so his groom holds him all the time."");document.write("

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Moonee Valley officials arranged a double-sized stall for Grandera with one side closed to the outside and, apart from one instance when he wheeled around in the box sending Godolphin staff scattering, there was little concern.

As one of the Godolphin team noted: "When he moves, we move."

In the mounting yard, Grandera was flanked fore and aft by Godolphin staff but he seemed to handle the noise and fanfare as well as any other runner.

On the way to the start, Grandera did the longest preliminary because, as Dettori said: "That's what he wanted to do."

Sometimes a slow beginner, Grandera jumped about a length behind Sunline on his outside and settled down in sixth place. When Sunline took off at the 1200 metres, Dettori started to edge forward but was still about five lengths from Sunline and Northerly nearing the home turn.

As Dettori urged Grandera forward from the top of the straight, the horse dipped and changed stride and did well to finish less than a length-and-a-half from the winner.

Dettori said he would like to take on Northerly at Sha Tin in Hong Kong with its 600-metre straight.

"Northerly is a great horse - a champion - but I know Grandera can do better on a bigger track," he said.

Dettori said riding in his first Cox Plate had been a great thrill. "I could feel the excitement and when we going into the barrier stalls for a few seconds as we were standing there, I could hear my heart beat."

Godolphin's racing manager Simon Crisford said the Cox Plate was a wonderful race and the stable would certainly return to try to win it.

Grandera pulled up well and Crisford said the horse would now go to Hong Kong for the International Cup (2000m) in December, the final leg of the World Racing Series in which Grandera is a clear leader.